Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Hawaiian Airlines welcomes refreshed identity from Lippincott

Hawaiian Airlines is the leading airline in Hawaii, operating flights to major destinations in the Pacific, including mainland United States and Asia. This week, on May 1, it unveiled a new corporate identity, developed by Lippincott. This is part of an effort to expand the airline by opening up new routes and introducing new aircraft.

The previous identity had plenty of goodwill, so this is an iterative update that builds on its predecessor. The airline's symbol – the "Pualani" (flower of the sky) – has been freed from the flower holding shape and thus features more prominently in front of a sun on the tail fin. The livery is finished with a silver maile lei wrapping the fuselage. The friendly look reflects the welcoming "aloha spirit" associated with the islands.

Previous logo.

The Pualani trademark was originally introduced in 1973 and designed by Landor Associates. She has been updated slightly through the year's, last time in 2001. That version was designed by Lindon Leader while he was at Addison.

In our new logo, Pualani embodies the warmth and joy of Hawaiian culture even more, which you'll see clearly in her upturned smile and forward gaze. Known as the "flower of the sky," Pualani now sits in front of the sun, majestically stewarding guests along their journey. And to celebrate her regal status, we are featuring purple more prominently in ou color palette, complemented by a new type treatment that reflects our repuatation as a modern, premium brand. - Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian worked with Lippincott, a global creative consultancy, on the new identity. Hawaiian's brand team and Lippincott spent a year studying the airline's history, working with a committee of front-line employees, and immersing themselves in Hawaiian culture to arrive at the new design.

"So much of our visual identity, which is 15 years old, still resonated deeply with our guests and employees," said Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing for Hawaiian. "Our aim was to retain the essence of our brand and arrive at a bolder, truer expression of our unique Hawaiian hospitality."

The new identity retains Hawaiian's distinctive color palette of purple, fuchsia and coral. Pualani—the singular icon of the brand—remains at its core. The new logo and livery emphasize Pualani by featuring her more prominently and liberating her from the floral "holding shape" of the former logo. She gazes proudly with the wind in her hair, adorned with a hibiscus flower and framed by a Hawaiian sunrise. The expressive, organic graphics reflect the natural forms of Hawai'i.

The addition of the lei elements to the livery accentuate the three-dimensional contours of the aircraft fuselage while also incorporating a rich, meaningful cultural narrative that reflects the carrier's strong sense of place and identity. Updated typography and bright, emotive imagery support Hawaiian's positioning as a premium leisure airline, focused on warm hospitable service. - Press release